Clothes-line attachment



(No Model.) 2 sneets 'sheet 1.

H. MAEURER. CLOTHES LINE ATTACHMENT.

No. 409,327. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

(No Model?) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. MAEURER.

CLOTHES LINE ATTACHMENT. No. 409,327. Patented Aug. 20, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY MAEURER, OF BROOKLYN, NE-"W YORK.

CLOTH ES-LINE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,327, dated August 20, 1889.

Application filed January '7, 1889. Serial No. 295,715. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MAEURER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Attachments, of which the following a specification.

M y invention relates to an improvement in clothes-lines of the kind used in apartmenthouses, tenement-houses, and the like, which extend from windows in the houses to poles or other suitable support, located usually at the end of the house-yard, and which clotheslines are so arranged that the clothing can be placed thereon within the room without the necessity of reaching outside of the window in the operation of placing the clothing upon the line or in removing it therefrom.

In the drawings the same 'reference-letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates the invention as in position to have the clothing put upon it. Fig. 2 illustrates it as arranged with the clothing upon it and the window closed. Fig. 3 illustrates a modified construction of the folding frame which supports the line within the room. Fig. at illustrates the set of clamps which hold the line when the clothes are drying, the clamping-levers being in their position as clamping the lines. Fig. 5 illustrates a side sectional view of the clamp which unites the two ends of the clothes-line. Fig. (5 illustrates a top view of one of the clamps shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 illustrates a side elevation, and Fig. 8 a detail sectional view, of a modified form of line-support within the room.

A is the room. B is the window-frame, the lower sash being raised. C is the usual hook, to which the pulley now in general use is at tached. D is an upright bar, pivoted or hinged at E near the floor. F is a brace-bar, hinged at G tothe side of the bar D. H is another braeebar, hinged at I to the front of the bar D. These parts are all so constructed that they can be folded one upon the other, as shown by arrows, and then swung up against the wall of the room by the side of the window.

J is a hook fastened to the front side of the bar D, and K is a similar hook, although it may be much smaller and not so strong, fastened below the hook J.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, L L L are clamps which hold the lines. They each consist of a case M, having openings N None at each endadapted to receive the clothesline loosely therein.

P are clamping-levers, there being one for each clamp. They are pivoted atQ by a pin, which passes through the sides of the casing M and through a hole bored eccentrically in the lovers, as shown. The levers have a jamsurface R, which bites 011 the line when they are forced down upon it by reason of the camlike action consequenton the eccentricity of their axes or pivots. These jan'i-surfaces R may be roughened, as shown, if desired, to better hold the line.

S is a tie-strap, which connects the two clamps L L. (See Fig. 4.) It is pivoted to them at T T, so that they may move relative to each other, approaching or separating from each other, but will nevertheless remain connected. There may be two of these straps, as shown in Fig. 6, if preferred.

U is a link connected at U to about the middle of the tiestrap, and it is provided with a hook, loop, or equivalent device at its other end,whereby it may be engaged with the hooks C and K, as hereinafter set forth. The two strands of the line pass through these two clamps, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, X being the line.

The construction of the clamp L (shown in Fig. 5) has openings V V at its upper and under sides, through which the ends of the line pass. This clamp is designed to unite the free ends of the line, as hereinafter set forth. Through the openingV one end of the line is passed and knotted on the outside thereof to fasten it, as seen at \V, and through the other opening V the free end of the line passes after passing the clamping-lever and hangs loose below the clamp, as seen at Y.

Z is the usual pulley over which the line passes. It is similar to the one at the pole in the yard.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The line is first passed through. the pulley at the pole, (not shown,) as usual. One

end thereof is then passed through the clamp L, thence over the pulley Z, thence through the clamp L, and thence to the clamp shown in Fig 5, and there knotted at the side opening therein, as shown. The other end of the line is then passed through the front end of the clamp shown in Fig. 5, over the clampinglever thereof, and out at the side opening, as shown. The device as thus arranged is hung by means of the usual ring or hook on the pulley Z to the hook 0 outside of the window, the slack of the line, if any, being taken up by drawing on the free end Y of the line and holding the taken-up slack by the clampinglever.

When it is desired to use the apparatus, the bars D, F, and H are swung outwardly from the wall and the hook shown on the end of the bar H is entered into an eye on the window-frame, as shown in Fig. 1. The bracebar F is then swunglaterally from the bar D, as seen in said Fig. 1, and its foot braced against the base-board of the room. The line is then unhooked from the hook C, and the loose end. Y of the line being slackened as much-as needful, the pulley Z is pulled into the room through the window and hooked onto the hook J. The clamps L and L are then pulled inward until the link U can be attached to the hook K. This is done simply to prevent any movement by the clamps along the line consequent on the pulling of it through them during the application of the clothing thereto. The slack of the line is then taken up somewhat tightly by pulling the free end of the line Y through the clamp L and fastening it, when stretched, by the clampinglever. The clothing is then applied to that part of the line which is within the room, as usual, moving the clothing as applied out through the window by a manipulation of the line now well understood, during which it slides through the clamps L and L, their levers being thrown off and not clamping the line. IVhen all the clothing desired has been put upon the line, the clamps L and L are moved down the line and out through the window until they come about opposite the hook C. The link U is then attached to the hook and the clamping-levers P of the clamps L and L are then operated, which firmly clamps the line in these clamps. The connection of the pulley Z with the hook J is then broken, either by a pull on both of the lines or by pushing the bar ll upwardly, and the pulley Z is then disconnected from the hook J, and it is either dropped out of the window, where it will hang in the slack loop of the line, or, preferably, it is caught over the hook C, as shown in Fig. 2. The window may then be closed. When it is desired to take in the clothing, the above-described operations are reversed, and, finally, the apparatus is again returned to its original position.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I show a modified construction of the support for the line within the room. a is a casting fastened to the side of the window-frame. It has a removable pin 1). c is a bar, the end of which is provided with a hole through which the pin Z) can be passed. d is a crank attached to the end of a threaded bolt d, which meshes into a correspondinglythreaded web or connecting-piece e, which is cast integral with a sliding sleeve e, which fits over and slides upon the end of the bar 0, which is slotted inwardly from its end to allow the passage of the web 6 through it. The sleeve has hooks on its sides,with one of which the link g of the pulley engages and to the other a chain or its equivalent 7a is attached, which at its other end is fastened to the side of the room or to the base-board or any other suitable place. This chain acts as a stay to hold the bar in proper position and to counteract the pull of the clothes-line. z' is a stay-rod which engages with an eye j, fastened in the base-board of the room or other suitable location, which supports the bar 0. This construction of the support for the clothes-line is a very good one, because, as will be readily understood, when it is desired to slack up the line within the room after the clamps have been fastened on the lines and the rod thereof engaged with the hook on the exterior of the window, instead of pulling the entire line inwardly or knocking upwardly the end of the stay-bar to slack the line, as before stated, all thatis necessary is to turn the crank and the action of the screw d on'the sleeve e will cause it to move down the bar 0, thus slacking the line, when it can be easily detached from the hook on the sleeve and hung out of the window, as before stated, and by a reversal of the operation the line may be tightened up again and the grasp of the clamps on the line released when it is desired to take in the clothing. By this construction also I can readily apply the line-supporter to either side of the window, all that is requisite being that there should be duplicate castings a on both sides of the window and suitable supports for the chain or equivalent stay and for the supporting-bar or stay-rod. This form, moreover, requires less room when folded, and may, if desired,be detached and placed in a closet or other place out of the way when not in use.

In Fig. 3 I illustrate another form of the support for the line within the room. It is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1, excepting that it is made in the general form of an easel-that is to say, D is the bar to which the hooks J and K are fastened. Itis hinged at the bottom in the same manner that the bar D in Fig. 1 is. F is a brace-bar which corresponds to the bar F in Fig. 1. It is hinged to the side of the enlarged upper part of the bar D. II is another brace-bar, which corresponds to the bar II of Fig. 1. It is hinged to the lower front side of the enlarged upper end of the bar D, as shown, so that it may be folded in between the bars D and F when the support is closed, not being in use. The enlargement of the upper end of the bar D is made on one sidethereof, as seen at D and it projects laterally a sufficient distance to accommodate the brace-bar H and permit it to lie between the bars D and F when folded.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown and described. The clamps L and L, with the exception, of course, of their levers, pins, &c., may be cast all in one piece. I make them of the form shown,with the pivoted tie-strap S, in order that they may adjust themselves by approaching nearer together in the event of the diameter of the pulley Z being less than their extreme separation, thereby avoiding abrasion of the line; also, any other suitable clamping device may be used for those specified by me; also, the bars D, F, and 11 maybe differently arranged and differently hung-that is to say, they may be hung from the ceiling or supported on the floor, and they may be differently constructed, or other supporting devices for the line substituted.

It will be apparent to those familiar with such structures that a great variety of means may be employed whereby the lines will be held and supported within the room. Ishow the several devices above described and illustrated simply as apparatus which I have found practically useful.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of an attaching device for the line located on the outside of the window, clamps adapted to hold both strands of the line and sliding thereon, constructed and arranged to engage with the attaching device on the outside of the window, and a support for the line within the room and in line with the window, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of an attaching device for the line located outside of the Window,

clamps adapted to hold both strands of the line and sliding thereon, constructed and arranged to engage with the attaching device on the outside of the window, and a removable support for the line within the room and in line with the window, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of an attaching device for the line located on the outside of the window, clamps adapted to hold both strands of the line and sliding thereon, constructed and arranged to engage with the attaching device on the outside of the window, a support for the line within the room in line with the window, and a clamp constructed .and arranged to slack and to take up the slack of the line, connecting the ends of the line, substantially as set forth.

l. The combination of an attaching device for the line located on the outside of the window, clamps adapted to hold both strands of the line and sliding thereon, constructed and arranged to engage with the attaching device on the outside of the window, and a support for the line within the window, said support being provided with an adjustable attaching device, whereby the line may be slackened, substantially as set forth.

5. The double clamp above described, consisting of two separate clamps, each provided with its own clamping-lever, and a connecting-bar pivoted to each of the clamps,whereby they may be moved toward and from each other, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 2d day of January, A. D. 1889.

HENRY .MAEURER. Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, F. IIAMMAT'J NORTON. 

